Red Deer mayor on double-digit tax hike, a growing city and more in year-end interview [Video]

Red Deer mayor Ken Johnston discusses a double-digit property tax increase, population growth and development in Red Deer, and plans to run in the upcoming municipal election with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: Red Deer City Council budget deliberations in November ultimately resulted in approval of a 10.5-per-cent municipal rate increase. Red Deer is not alone in that regard.

Quite the change from a few short years ago when Red Deer saw a zero-per-cent increase. What drove that difficult decision?

Ken Johnston: I think you’ve touched on part of it, the zero per cent the few years prior. We paid a price, literally and figuratively I think, for deciding to go that route.

Because inflation certainly became a factor, COVID obviously was a factor, certainly the continuing impact of city services and so forth. It really was a decision where we played a little bit of catch up, if you will, on …